Pope Francis suffers a "sudden" deterioration in health

BarcelonaPope Francis has suffered a "sudden" worsening of his health on Friday. According to the Vatican, the pontiff experienced an "isolated" crisis of bronchospasm, an involuntary contraction of the muscles of the lungs that restricts the access of air. However, the same information indicates that Francis would have responded well to the therapy received. "This afternoon, the Holy Father, after a morning of respiratory physiotherapy, and in prayer in the chapel, suffered an isolated crisis of bronchospasm that led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation," they indicated in a statement.

The complication of the crisis was due to vomiting. Francis, when breathing, would have removed the fluid. This has caused the doctors to quickly remove the gastric fluids from the respiratory system using an aspiration system. In response to the crisis, doctors also began assisted breathing with "non-invasive" mechanical ventilation and, according to reports, the Pope has responded well. His lungs have correctly recovered the ability to take in oxygen and return it to the body. From now on, doctors will need between 24 and 48 hours to fully fine-tune their response. During the crisis, Francis was "always lucid and oriented" and "collaborated in the therapeutic maneuvers."

The worsening of the clinical picture comes fifteen days after his admission to the Gemelli hospital in Rome and breaks with the dynamic of "improvement" of the last few days. In fact, this Thursday, it was reported that Francis had left the critical phase behind. During this morning he continued to improve and, according to the morning report from the Vatican, he has continued pulmonary physiotherapy treatment combining high-flow oxygen therapy with the oxygen mask.

No discharge date

In recent days, the Vatican has also reported that the pontiff has overcome the kidney failure he was suffering from. His immediate health problems are now respiratory: if at the beginning he was already suffering from bronchitis with a polymicrobial infection, bilateral pneumonia has been added. The Pope, according to the Church, continues to have a "complex" clinical picture and his prognosis remains "reserved."

While he remains hospitalized, the Vatican is working to arrange Francisc's schedule, who still has no clear discharge date. This afternoon, hours before the crisis, the church has already announced that the pontiff will be replaced by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis at the celebration of Ash Wednesday on March 5. For next week, Francis was also scheduled to preside over the mass of the first Sunday of Lent in the Plaza de Sant Pere.